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SECULAR AND ECCLESIASTICAL 



HISTORY 



TOWN OF WORTHIXGTON, 



FIRST SETTLEMENT' TO THE/PRESENT TIME. 




C^<^L 




cce^ 



" No history can present us with llie whole tnilh : but those are the best his- 
tories, wliieh exhiljit such parts of the (rutli, as most nearly produce the effect of 
the whole." — M ac.vvi.vy. 






• ♦•- 



ALBANY, N. Y. 

WEED, PAl^SOJlfi K^Vt COMPANY, POINTERS. 
lSo3. 



SECULAR AXB ECCLESIASTICAL 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



TOWN OF WOPiTHIXGTOJf, 




FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME. 



^?^"^ 



'V 



-•♦-•- 



ALBANY, N. Y. 

WEED, PARSOKS AND COMPANY, PRINTERS. 
lSo3. 



TO THE 

OLD PEOPLE OF AVORTHINGTON, 

THIS mSTORICAL PAMPHLET IS MOST RESPECTFULLY 
■WITH EARNEST WISHES 

FOE THEIR HAPPINESS AND PROSPEEITT, 
BY THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE. 

Feeling that the unrecorded history of one's native town, 
like the unmarked graves of parents, evidences both the 
want of a proper respect and a fihal gratitude, we com- 
menced the following chapters, more from a sense of duty, 
than from motives less worthy of regard. To this sense of 
duty, was soon added the virtue of necessity, which so often 
causes a person to hazard that before the public eye, which 
no motives otherwise could have induced, and no ambition 
could have prompted. 

Taking advantage, therefore, of the recollection of the 
living and the records of the dead, we place before the 
people of Worthington a history of their town, asking for its 
brevity, its imperfections, and its errors, that charity of criti- 
cism, which a thoughtful consideration of the many difficul- 
ties and disadvantages under which it was written, will 
naturally suggest. 

Worthington, July lOc/i, 1S53. 



SECULAll IIISTOKY 



CHArXER I. 

THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN. 

On tlie 2d of June, 1762, by order of the general 
court, nine plantations of land were sold at public auction 
in Boston. These plantations embraced the townships 
of Cunimington and Plainfield, Windsor, Partridgeiield 
(now called Peru and Hinsdale) and Worthington, on 
the Green Mountains, together with five other to^vais, 
situated in different parts of the state. " Plantation No. 
3," which extended at that time, on the east, as far as the 
north branch of the Westfield river, was purchased by 
Col. Worthington, of Springfield, and Maj. Barnard, of 
Deerfield, for about £1,500. In honor of the former 
gentleman, who lil)erally induced the early settlers to 
occupy the land, by the erection of a church and a grist- 
mill, at his own expense, together with a generous assign- 
ment of ministerial and school lots for the use of the 
town, the plantation was called Worthington. The lar- 
ger part of the first inhabitants of tlie town came from 
Connecticut, and the middle and eastern counties of this 



8 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

state ; among wliom was Nathan Leonard, avIio resided 
where liis grandson, Mr. Alonson Leonard now lives ; and 
Samuel Clapp, who resided hi a log house, near the lot 
of ground now occupied by what is called the Wood- 
Lridge place; Nathaniel Daniels, who huilt the first 
frame house in town, nearly o})posite to the dwellhig of 
Mr. Tilson Bartlett ; Nahum Eager, who resided near 
the place where Mr. Nathaniel Eager now lives, and who 
was the first representative of the town in the Provincial 
Congress held at Caml)ridge ; Doctor Moses Morse, 
whose house stood on a spot of ground between the 
dwellinirs of Mr. Ames Burr and Mr. Medad Ames, 
now marked by a butternut tree ; John Kinne, who lived 
on the ]")laoc now owned by JMr. Jotham Clark ; El)enezer 
Leonard, who resided on the place now occupied by the 
dwelhng house of Mr. Ames Burr ; Thomas Clemmons, 
who lived where Mr. Jonathan Burr now resides ; Benja- 
min Biglow, who resided in a house situated north and east 
of what is now called the Jonah Brewster farm ; Thomas 
Kinne, who Hved on the above named farm, and from 
wliom the brook, near tliat ])lace, took its name ; John 
Watts, who resided a few rods east of the first church 
that was built in town ; Ephraim Wheeler, who resided 
near the spot of ground now occui)ied by the house of 
Mr. Harrington ; Mr. Collamore, who lived nearly oppo- 
site to JNIr. Wheeler's ; Alexander Miller, who resided on 
the " Bufiington i)lace," and who was the first inn-holder 
in town ; ,Iose])h INTarsli, who lived on the ])lace now 
owned ))y l\Ir. Franklin Burr; Amos Friidv, whose 
house was situated ou "Cole-street;" Abner D^velly, 
wliosc I'csidcncc was situated on tlie east side of the road 
wliicli lends iVoni (;M]>t. C'l.'irk's to the church : Jeremiah 
Kinne, wlio resided n here Mv. C.-dvin Tower noM' lives; 



TOWN OF AVORTIimGTON. D 

Stephen and Davis Convel■^JO, wlio resided on tlie " Elijali 
Higgins place ;" Phinelias Herrick, who resided near 
where Mr. Amasa Briggs now lives ; Joseph Pettingell, 
and Joshua Phillips, wlio lived opposite to him, resided 
on the nortli side of the road, passing by Mr. John Coit's ; 
Gershani Randall, who resided Avherc j\Ir. Jonatlian 
Prentice now resides ; Daniel Gates, who lived near the 
place of Abner Dwelly ; Asa Cotrell, who resided on 
the place now owned l)y Capt. Randall ; Asa Bnrton, 
whose house stood wliere that of Mr. Dwiglit Perry now 
stands ; Zephaniah Hatch, who lived on the j)lace now 
owned by Mr. Noah Hatch ; Nathan Branch, who occu- 
pied the place where Mr. Morgan Hall resides ; John 
Buck, whose house stood on the ground lately occiij^ied 
by that of Capt. King ; Timothy Meecli, who resided on 
Mr. Wm. Coit's place ; Samuel Crosby, who lived where 
Col. Stone now lives ; Daniel Morse and Daniel Morse, 
Jr., who resided on the farms now owned by Mr. Azariah 
Parsons and Mr. Silas ^larble ; John Skiff, who lived on 
the spot of ground now occupied by the dwelling house 
of Mr. Horace Cole ; James Benjamin who lived on the 
fai'in now owned by Mr. Ira Johnson ; Beriah Curtis, 
Avhose dwelling stood near the ground noAV occu]:)ied \)y 
the house of Mr. Alden Curtis ; Jonathan Prentice, who 
lived on the " Cushman place ;" Samuel Morse, who 
resided near the ground now occupied by the dwelling 
of Capt. James Bisbee ; James Wy bourn and Israel IIo- 
ton, who lived nearly opposite to each other, on the road 
Avhicli passes, on the north, the house of Mr. John Adams, 
near the plot of ground now called " The Vineyard ;" 
Col. Ebenezer Webber, Avho owned the place now called 
the Widow Cole farm ; Samuel, Robert and Amos Day, 
who resided on the spot of iiround now occu})ied by the 



10 SECULAE HISTORY OF THE 

dwelling bourse of Mr. Elijah Drury ; Joseph and Isaac 
Follett, who lived where Mr. Abraham Drake now 
resides ; Stephen Fitch, who resided nearly opposite to 
the dwelling now oTVTied hy Capt. C}tus Robinson ; 
Ezi'a Cleaveland, who lived on the south side of the road 
in a house situated in an angle of a lot, north of the 
dwelling now occupied by Mr. Harvey Dewey ; Samuel 
Buck, who owned the farm, and erected the house in the 
year of 1780, now occupied by Mr. Silas Robinson ; 
Edmund Pettingell, who resided on the farm now owned 
by Mr. Wm. Cole ; James and John Kelly, whose house 
was situated where that of Capt. Kelly now stands ; 
Isaac Herrick, who resided a short distance south of the 
school house, in Mr. Alden Curtis' district ; Joseph Pren- 
tice, who lived on the place now owned by Mr. Alpheus 
Prentice ; John Partridge, whose house stood nearly one 
hundred rods north of Mr. Wm. Leonard's, on the west 
side of the road ; Setli Sylvester, who lived a short dis- 
tance south of the dwelling house lately owned by Capt. 
Ring; Amos Leonard, who owned the farm now occu- 
pied by Mr. Amos Cole; Elijah Gardner, whose house 
stood nearly west of Ring's factory ; Joseph Dewey, who 
lived in a house west of the " Buffington Grove" (the 
land where it stood is now owned by Mr. Horace Cole) ; 
Luke Boney and Daniel Brunson, who lived in a house 
that formerly stood in Capt. Buck's orchard — they were 
the first millers who came into town ; Asa Spaulding, 
who owned the farm now owned by Capt. Jeremiah 
Phillips; Hezekiah Maheuren, who resided east of a 
grove now owned by Col. Wm. Rice ; John Howard, 
who occupied the place now owned by Mr. Merrick 
Cole ; Thomas Hall, who lived west of Col. Oren Stone's, 
on the fii-m formerly owned by Mr. Wm. Meech ; Jo- 



TOWN OF WOETHINGTON. 11 

seph Gardner, who resided opposite to the dwelling house 
now occupied by ^Ir. Morris Parsons ; Miner Oliver and 
Capt. Constant Wel^ster, who lived near where Mr. 
Hiram Bartlett now lives ; Joseph Geer, who resided 
where the late Mr. Wm. Parish lived ; Samuel Tower, 
whose house stood a few rods west of the old church, by 
Mr. Watts' ; Nathaniel ColHns, who resided a short dis- 
tance south of the house of Mr. Isaac Herrick, mentioned 
above ; Reuben Adams, who owned the second saw-mill 
and the second grist-mill built in to\vn, which were situ- 
ated near Ringville ; John Drury, who lived on what is 
now called the Drury place ; Matliew Fiuton, whose 
house stood a few rods east of the spot of ground now 
occupied by the dwelling house of Mr. Granville B. 
Hall ; James Bemis, who resided on the i>lace now 
known as " The Widow Granger farm ;" Moses Buck, 
who resided with Mr. John Buck, spoken of before ; 
Thomas Buck, who lived on the farm now owned by 
Mr. John Coit ; Samuel Petingell, whose house stood on 
a lot now owned by Mr. Wm. Cole, and nearly south- 
east of Mr. Nathaniel Eager s residence ; Noah Moi'se, 
who resided on the tarm now owned by Mr. Milton 
Adams ; Nehemiah Proughty, whose house stood on the 
ground now occupied by that of Mr. Ezekiel Tower ; 
Seth Porter, who lived on the farm now owned by 
Mr. Jacob Porter ; Stephen Howard, whose house stood 
near the spot of ground now occupied by that of Mr. 
Henry Bates ; Mr. Hickey, who lived in the south part 
of the town, near where the Methodist churcli now 
stands ; Elihu Tinker, Avho resided where the late Mr. 
John Tinker lived. 

In addition to the above named persons, there were 
li\dng in town, at or near the time of its settlement, the 



12 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

following individuals, wliose places of residence we have 
been unable to ascertain : 

Wm. Burr, Thomas Butler, 

Jonas Bellows, Simeon Lee, 

Jonathan Eames, Samuel Taylor, 

Mr. WiLKiNS, Samuel Clay, 

Mr. Rice, Nathan Morgan, 

Mr. Ford, Lewis Church, 

Samuel Wilcox, John Ross, 

RuFUS Stone, James Tomson, 

Moses Ashley, IjEWIs Porter, 

Joseph French, Moses Porter, 

Samuel Converse, Joseph Lee, 
Alexander Chillson. 

It seems, from tlie large number of the first inhabi- 
tants, that the settlement of the town was rapid from 
its commencement ; and, fi'om the town record, it also 
appears, that the population steadily increased for a 
number of years, so that, before the close of the last cen- 
tury, there were more persons living in town than at the 
present time. 

The early inhabitants of Worthington, were men 
wliose characters were formed in that severe school of 
discipline, where the patient and cheerfid endurance of 
hardships and trials was taught to be a virtue. Com- 
mencing their manhood at a time, when the whole energy 
and valor of the 'New England Colonies were demanded 
to resist the encroachments of the French and their In- 
dian allies, they became brave and resolute men. Without 
the privileges of schools and seminaries — deprived of the 
advantages of an early education — possessing but the 
BiT)le and the spelling book, they yet excelled the present 
generation in that practical learning, Avhich unites pru- 



TOWN OF WOETnrPvTGTON. 13 

dence witli resolution, and wisdom with goodness. They 
were men of strong minds, acute discernment, and uner- 
ring judgment. When they arose to speak on any 
su})ject, in church or town meeting, they expressed them- 
selves with the greatest firmness and perspicuity. Well 
acquainted with the political affairs of the colonies, they 
hesitated to act upon none of the various questions 
brought before the town. While they warned their 
town meetings, in his Majesty's name, they discussed 
our relations with Great Britain with unhesitating bold- 
ness. They voted that they would keep " good regula- 
tions under his Majesty's reign," but at the same time 
they voted a supply of powder and balls for the use of 
the town. In liberally raising money for defraying the 
expenses of the army — in the number of men they 
promptly sent to the war, and cheerfully supported dur- 
ing its campaigns — in the amount of clothing with which 
they generously supplied the wants of t]ie soldiers — they 
were unrivaled by any town on the momitains. Feel- 
ing a want of that education, which circumstances had 
denied to them, they took the earliest opportunity to 
found schools, and to raise money to defray their ex- 
pense. Believing in the doctrines of the same religion, 
they, like theii' descendants, with commendable unan- 
imity, always steadily and zealously supported the 
preaching of the Gospel. Such are some of the pecu- 
liar traits that marked the characters of the first settlers 
of this town. Lea^dng a climate much milder than 
that of the mountains to which they had removed — ar- 
riving here, as many of them did, at the commencement 
of one of our severe winters, with their -wives and their 
children, after a journey often and twelve days on horse- 
back, guided only by the marks on the trees — sleeping 



14 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

in loo" houses, hastily prepared, or, as was often the case, 
upon the ground — deprived of nearly all of those com- 
forts and luxuries of life, in which their eastern homes 
had commenced to abound — procuring their food from 
the forest and their water from the brooks — without 
chairs, without tables, without anything, save a small 
quantity of food, brought with them for then* present 
subsistence — did the fii'st inhabitants of the town, eighty- 
nine years ago, commence the settlement of Wor- 
thington. 



CHAPTER II. 



INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN, ROADS, ETC* 

During the session of the Provincial Congress of 
Massachusetts, in 1768, a bill was passed for " creating 
the New Plantation, called Number Three, in the county 
of Hampshire, into a town by the name of Worthing- 
ton." The limits of the town, as recognized by this 
bill, extended at that time from the Partridgefield line 
on the west, to the north branch of the Westiield river 
on the east; while the northern and southern boun- 
daries were defined nearly the same as they remain at 
the present day. In pursuance of this act of Congress, 
Hon. Israel Williams, who had been empowered by the 
General Court to call a meeting of the inhabitants of 
this town, issued the following warrant : " These are, 
therefore, in his Majesty's name, to require you, Nathan 
Leonard, to notify and warn the inhabitants of Worth- 



TOWN OF TVOETHINGTOlSr. 15 

ington, that they assemble together at the house of 
Alexander Miller, innholder in said town, on the first 
Monday in August next, at ten of the clock in the fore- 
noon, then and there in public meeting to choose all 
such officers, as towns within this pro\dnce are impowered 
and enabled by law to choose in the month of March 
annually. Hereof, you Nathan may not fail. Given 
imder my hand and seal, at Hatfield in Hampshire 
county, this eleventh day of July, in the eighth year of 
his Majestie's reign, anno Domini 1769* 

IsKAEL Williams, Jus. Paci-s^'' 

By virtue of the above warrant, the fi'eeholders and 
other inhabitants of the town met at the inn of Alexan- 
der Miller, on Monday, the first day of August, and 
chose Captain Nathan Leonard, Modei'ator ; Mr. Nahum 
Eager, Town Clerk ; Captain Nathaniel Daniels, Cap- 
tain Nathan Leonard, and Mr. John Kinne, Selectmen ; 
Mr. Benjamin Biglow and Mr. Thomas Kinne, Wardens; 
Mr. Thomas Clemmons, Constable and Leather Sealer ; 
Mr. Samuel Clapp and Dr. Moses Morse, Surveyors 
of Highways ; Mr. Nahum Eager and Mr. Ephraim 
Wheeler, Fence Viewers ; Mr. John Watts, Tithing- 
man. These were the first officers chosen by the town. 
At a subsequent meeting, Amos Frink and Ebenezer 
Webber were chosen Deer-reeves. The business of the 
town, for the first two years after its incorporation, con- 
sisted principally in surveying and laying out roads. 

Among the first of the roads that were thus surveyed 
by the town, was one which, in the fertile imaginations 



* This date is doubtless wrong, since the eighth year of his Majesty's reign 
would have taken place in 1768, having commenced on the 25th of October, 1760. 



16 SECULAE HISTOEY OF THE 

of tlie selectmen, was called " Tlie direct road through 
Worthington to Boston and Albany." This road was 
laid out, so as to connect with the Chesterfield road, at 
the " Gate," and, running west, to lead by the farms now 
owned by Mr. Harrington and Mr. Drury, till it reached 
the " Buffington place," where stood, at that time, the 
inn of Alexander Miller. From this place, it was laid 
out directly north, till it passed the house of Mr. Tilson 
Bartlett, and then it was continued north and west, pass- 
ing through a part of Peru and Windsor, till it inter- 
sected a road which led more directly to Pittsfield. Sub- 
sequently this road was changed, so as to lead directly to 
the inn of Capt. ISTathaniel Daniels from " The Corners." 
This change was made by the town, so as to prevent any 
travel by the house of Alexander Miller, who favored the 
cause of Great Britain, and to secure the same to Capt. 
Nathaniel Daniels, who was a zealous patriot. In after 
years, " to mahe the road more straight and direct^'' the 
town laid it out over what is now called Snake Hill. 
The second road of importance which the town survey- 
ed led from Cummington to Chester. This road ex- 
tended through Cole-street, and passed the inn of Captain 
Daniels and the Buffington place, till it intersected a 
road near where Mr. Alden Curtis now lives ; and from 
there crossed directly to Middle river, where it continued 
on the banks of that stream till it reached Chester. 
During these two years, the town laid out and surveyed 
twelve cross-roads, all of which, except two, have become 
obsolete, as it regards travel. On the 17th of April, 
1770, the town voted to raise "<£45 for repairing the 
highways, and to pay for men's labor on the road, 3s per 
day, for that of a yoke of oxen, Is and 6d, for use of a 
plow, 8d." Pre\dous to the year of 17G8, there was 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTON". 17 

scarcely a road iu town ; all journeys, at tliat time, were 
performed over trails, or paths marked by cut or gir- 
dled trees. To go to Northampton and back, without 
infringing on the sacredness of either of the Sabbaths 
that bound the week, was considered \)j the farmers as 
a recommendation for the speed and endurance of their 
horses. A journey to Boston, or to Albany, was pre- 
faced by the prayers of the church, and the safe return 
of the individual who hazarded it, was the cause of 
thanksgiving and public rejoicing. Quilting, at that time, 
as now, was one of the practical amusements of the ladies 
in town ; but the preparations which preceded a quilt- 
ing party were much more extensive than at present, 
on account of the distance from which the inhabitants 
lived from each other, and the almost impassable state 
of the roads or paths. To attend a " quilting" at the 
more distant parts of the town, as it was the practice 
then, was an absence from home of no less than three 
days ; the first of which was spent in going, the second 
in quilting, and the third was consumed in returning. A 
mother, before starting on one of these expeditions, was 
obliged to bake a sufficient supply for the family at home; 
and if she was so fortunate, or unfortunate, as to have the 
care of an infant, she was under the necessity of putting 
it out with the neighbors, to be nm-sed, till she should 
return. 

The town, through its clerk, commenced in 1769 to 
publish the bans of matrimony. The following is copied 
from amono; the earliest recorded : 

" These may certify to whom it may concern that the 
bands of matrimony have been published as tlie law 
directs between John Leonard of Preston in the Colony 
3 



18 SECULAR HISTOET OF THE 

of Connecticut and County of New London and 
Sarali Pierce of Wortliington. 

Attest Nahum Eager 

Town Clerk 

WORTHINGTON- Apnl Q>tli 1770." 

Preceding the action wliich tlie town took in regard 
to tlie Revolutionary War, it chose a committee, in ac- 
cordance "«dtli an act of the General Court, for the Mas- 
sachusetts Bay, to prevent oppression and monopoly, 
in consequence of the effect of the non-importation act. 
This committee fixed the following prices to labor, and 
all the articles of merchandize bought and sold in 
town: 

£. s. d. 

Men's labor in time of harvest and haying, per day, 3 

At other seasons in the summer, " " 2 8 

In the fall and winter, " " 2 

Women's labor, per week, 3 

Wheat, per bush., 6 

Rye, " " 4 

Indian Corn, " " 3 

Peas, " " 6 

White Beans, " " 6 

Oats, " " 1 8 

Spanish potatoes, " " 1 

Wool, per pound 2 

Flax, " " 1 

Grass fed beei^ " " 2-2 

Stall " " *' " 3-2 

Pork, " " 3-3 

Cheese, " " Q 5 

Butter, " " 8 

Stockings, good wool, 6 00 

Shoes, calf skin, 8 00 

Pork, barrels containing eleven score per bbl. 4 00 

Beef, " " twelve " 3 2 6 

Tow cloth, per yard 2-3 

Flannel, " " 3 6 

Horse keeping for twenty-four hours, 10 

Ox " •• " 14 



TOWN OF WOETHrNGTON. 19 

£. 8. d. 

English hay out of the field in summer, per ton 1 4 00 

Out of the stack in winter, " " 110 

Out of the barn in spring, " " 115 

Salt, per bush 1 4 00 

N. E Rum by the hogshead, per gall 4 100 

" " by the single gallon " " 6 6 

" " " the single quart, 1 60 

West India rum, by hogshead, " " 7 8 

" " by single gallon, " " 8 6 

Sugar, by hogshead, per hundred, 3 4 00 

" single pound, 9 



CHAPTER III. 

THE PART WHICH THE TOWN TOOK IN THE HEVOLUTIONARY 
WAR, TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF THE NAMES OF THE SOL- 
DIERS IN THE WAR OF 1812. 

Nearly a year before tlie first battles of the Revolu- 
tion at Lexiiifrton and Concord, the inhabitants of this 
town were taking an earnest interest in regard to the 
political relations of the colonies with Great Britain. In 
the spring of 1774, the British government, in a spirit of 
revenge upon Massachusetts, and especially on Boston, 
for the determined spiiit with which the town had re- 
fused to submit to the payment of a duty upon tea, passed 
a bill, by which the citizens of Boston ^yeYe denied the 
prixalege of landing or shipping goods. To carry this 
bill into effect, the government of Great Britain took 
possession of the port of Boston. The intelligence of 
these proceedings aroused the inhabitants of this town 



20 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

to the greatest degree of excitement, and called out tlie 
following preamble and Avarrant : " Whereas, a number 
of the inhabitants of Worthington have desired a town 
meeting to be Avarned, for the purpose of taking into con- 
sideration, the alarming circumstances of the times, in 
regard to the trade and commerce of the town of Bos- 
ton, and the towns of America in general — to the consta- 
ble of the town of Worthington, greeting in his Majesty's 
name. You are hereby required forthwith to warn all 
the inhabitants of the town of Worthington, that they 
meet at the Meeting-house, in said town, on Tuesday the 
28th day of June 1774, at two of the clock in the after- 
noon, then and there to act on the following articles. 
Firstly, to choose a moderator ; secondly, to hear the let- 
ters read sent from the committee of correspondence at 
Boston ; thirdly, to say in what, since you would be 
understood in favour of the inhabitants of Boston, 
fourthly to say if you will do anything for the relief 
or encom-a<T:ement of the town of Boston." 

Pm-suant to the above warrant, the town met, and 
chose Capt. Ebenezer Leonard as Chairman, and Nathan 
Leonard, Nahum Eager, Nathaniel Daniels, Thomas Kin- 
nc and Moses Morse, a committee of correspondence. 
This committee of correspondence immediately comnm- 
nicated with the committee of safety at Boston, promis- 
ing the zealous co-operation of the town for their en- 
couragement, and all tlie means in their power for theii* 
relief. The threatening state of ati'aii*s, and the earnest 
correspondence of the committee of safety at Boston, 
caused the selectmen, a few weeks after the above men- 
tioned meeting, to issue a warrant, calling upon all of 
the inli:il)itants of the town who were sohliers, and all 
who were obliged to keep arms, to assemble at the meet- 



TOWN OF WOETHINGTON. 21 

ing-house, for the purpose of choosing military officers. 
On the opening of the campaign of 1777,* a number 
of the young men of tlie town, without arms or ammuni- 
tion, offered to join tlic army of Washington, at Morris- 
town, N. J. The town, thereupon, voted that " the select- 
men shall be empowered to draw powder and arms, for 
any person or persons that shall apply for the same, and 
to send money to purchase the same, agreeable to a 
resolve of the General Assem]>ly of this state ;" at the 
same time, the town voted that a petition should be pre- 
sented to the General Assembly, to have a store of blan- 
kets, to draw out of, when needed upon an emergency, for 
the town. In 1778, the want of shoes and clothing in 
the army called upon the sympathy and patriotism of 
the State of Massachusetts, for its relief. Woithington 
generously responded to a part of this demand, by rais- 
ing £120 for the suffering soldiers. On the 3d of No- 
vember, 1779, the town voted to raise £'600, as a tax, to 
pay for twelve blankets, and bounties for the soldiers last 
raised. The number of soldiers that the town raised 
this year was twelve, six to serve six months, and the 
remainder twelve months. On the 3d of June, 1780, 
the town voted £200 as a bounty to each soldier, and 
three pounds per month in addition, valuing the Con- 
tinental money in wheat, at five shillings, rye at three 
shillings, and com at tAvo shillings and sixpence per 
busheL In July, 1780, the toAATi voted that each of the 
soldiers raised by the town should have £150 as bounty, 



* The action of the inhabitants of the town, during the three following years, 
from 1774 to 1777, in regard to the war, has no record. The probable reason 
for this omission, for so long a period, is the fact, that in the early campaigns, most 
of the soldiers from the mountain towns voluntarily joined the army ; and no re- 
cord, but that of town business, has been preserved. 



22 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

to be paid to tliem in two montlis from the above date. 
During this year, the cavalry became so reduced in the 
army, that Congress was obliged to call upon the States 
for a supply of horses. The requisition of the State of 
Massachusetts, upon the town of Worthington, was for 
so great a number of horses, that the town was obliged 
to pass the following resolve : " Voted, that the town will 
give security on the town, if they can not provide the 
horses sent for, at the stated price." 

The wants of the army, at the close of the campaign 
of 1 779, again aroused the sympathies of the country for 
its relief Early in the spring of 1780, the General 
Asseml^ly for the State of Massachusetts, passed a bill, 
requiring each town to raise, by tax, a certain amount 
for the purchase of clothing for the army. In accordance 
with this act, the town voted to raise £2,130 for sup- 
plying the army with the clothing required. During 
the same year, the town raised .£5,000,* to supply, in 
part, the army with beef, as required by an act of the 
General Assembly, passed on the 25th of Sept., 1780. 
In May, 1781, a committee from Congress visited the 
army, and became more thoroughly acquainted with its 
distress and destitution. They reported to Congress, 
soon afterwards, the situation of the army, in the follow- 
ing words, viz : " That the army was unpaid for five 
months ; that it seldom had more than six days' provi- 
sion in advance, and was, on several occasions, for sundry 
successive days, without meat ; that the medical depart- 
ment had neither sugar, tea, coffee, chocolate, wine nor 

* Bills of credit wore first issued by Conj^retis, in June, 1775, to the amount of 
two millions of dollars. At the expiration of eighteen months, twenty millions 
liad been issued. By the year 1780, the amount in circulation was two hundred 
millions. At an early period, these bills began to depreciate, and continued to do 
60 till their circulation was limited by Congretss, in 1780. 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTOlSr. 23 

spirituous liquors of any kind ; and tliat every department 
of the army was without money, and had not even the 
shadow of credit left." 

What effect this report had on the inhabitants of 
this town, may be seen in their patriotic action. During 
this year, the town raised fifteen men to serve in the 
Continental army, for three years, granting each one 
forty shillings advance pay, and four pounds per montli, 
and also sent four thousand weight of beef to supply, in 
part, the wants of the army. 

The trials and hardships which the majority of the 
families in town endured, during the war, will scarcely 
be credited by the present generation. Happy in the 
freedom which had been won, and joyful at the return 
of peace, too seldom did the mothers and sisters of the 
soldiers who went from this towai recite their sufferings 
to their descendants, for us at the present day fully to 
understand, and appreciate theii' self-denials and sacrifi- 
ces. The females of many families worked on the farms 
of their husbands and brothers, during the greater part of 
their absence in the war. Many ploughed their own lands, 
sowed their grain, and planted and hoed their corn 
during the spring ; in the summer and fall gathered 
their hay and harvests ; in the winter months fed 
and took care of the cattle in the barns, drove them to 
the brooks for water, and oftentimes yoked their oxen, 
and went to the woods to cut the fuel necessary for their 
use. So few of the male mhabitants, at this period, did 
patriotism leave in town, that at no time during the in- 
terval between the years of 1779 and 1782, were there 
above ten or twelve men, out of over seventy fimiilies 
living in town, who attended church on the Sabbath. 
At length, the destitution of the families of those persons 



24 SECULAE HISTOEY OF THE 

wlio had joined the army, became so great, that on the 
10th of October, 1777, the General Court of Massachu- 
setts was obhged to pass a bill, by which each town 
was requii'ed "to appoint a committee to supply the 
families of the soldiers who were engaged in the Conti- 
nental army with the necessaries of life." Pursuant to 
this act, the town of Worthington appointed Jonathan 
Brewster, Moses Porter and Wm. Burr, as a committee 
to take care of the families of the soldiei*s, while euo:a^-ed 
in ser^dce. 

The following is a list of the names of those soldiers, 
as far as it has been able to be ascertained, who served 
in the Bevolutionary war. That the list falls much be- 
low the actual number who joined the army, there can 
be but little doubt, since many persons sent their hired 
men to the war, whose names are not now known : 

Samuel Dewey, Jeremiah Kinne, 



killed. 



Barnabas Clapp, Samuel Cole, 

Lemuel Clapp, Daniel Goodman, 

Isaac Clapp, Gershom Brown, 

Stephen Clapp, John Howard, 

Gershom Randall, David Woods, 

Samuel Bufhngton, Samuel Follett,* 
Nathaniel Daniels, Jr., Jonas Leonard, 

John Daniels, Asa Cottrell, 

Samuel Daniels, Nicholas Cottrell, 

Dan. Daniels, Samuel Petingell. 



* Samuel Follett, who is still living in this town, was Lorn on the 23d of Nov., 
1757, in the town of Attleborough, Bristol county, Mass. He joined the army 
when he was in his eighteenth year, where he remained fifteen months, serving 
in the regiment commanded by Col. Reed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He 
came into this town before the close of the war, in 1781, where he has resided 
ever since. His first vote was cast for Gen. Washington, for President of the 
United States, when he was thirty-two years of age ; his last for Gen. Scott, 
when he was ninety-six. 



TOWN OF WORTlinsrCrTOIT. 



25 



Elisha Brewster,* 
Richard Briggs, 
Israel I^urr, 
K.oger Benjamin, 
Thomas Buck, 
Asa Jackson, 
Sylvanus Parsons, 
Moses Buck, 
Samuel Kingman, 
Alexander Kingman, 



Ephraim Parish, 
Timothy Meech, 
Asa Benjamin, 
John Stone, 
Nahum Eager, 
Lott Drake, 
Jonathan Ring, 
Rufus Marsh, 
Joseph Marsh, Jr., 
Joshua Morse. 



William Ward, 

Non- Commusioned 

Thomas Hall, 
Joseph Starkweather, 
Nehemiah Tinker, 
Alfred Brown, 
John Gushing, 
Henry Warner, 
Timothy Parsons, 
David Parsons, 
Luther Bartlett, 
Ezekiel Tower, 
Daniel Parish, 



Soldiers of 1812. 

Commissioned Officers. 

William Rice. 



Officers and Privates. 

James Hatch, 
Barnabas Anable, 
Perkins Fitch, 
Milton Brewster, 
William Brewster, 
Rufus Taylor, 
Obadiah Tower, 
Elijah Burr, 
Richard Briggs, 
Joseph Daily, 
Harvey Metcalf, 



* Elisha Brewster was born in Preston, Conn., on the 25th of February, 1755, 
where lie resided until the commencement of the Revolutionary war. lie early 
enlisted as a volunteer into a regiment of light dragoons, for and during the war, 
and served to its close, as an officer of the same, during the period of seven years 
and six months. 

His regira'^nt was exercised in cavalry tactics by Count Pulaski, the distinguish- 
ed Poland disciplinarian, who first introduced cavalry tactics in this country. 
After the close of the war, he served as Captain of cavalry and Brigade Quarter- 
master. 

At the time of Shay's Insurrection, he volunteered his services to General 
Shepard, at Springfield, and was appointed one of his aids, on that memorable 

4 



26 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 



CHAPTER IV. 



CHURCHES, PUBLIC LANDS, ETC. 



The original proprietors of the town, to encourage the 
rapid settlement of the plantation, erected a church, in 
the year of 1764, near the spot of ground occupied by 
the house of the late Mr. John Watts. The immediate 
district surrounding the church, at this time, was an un- 
broken wilderness. A few years subsequent to the above 
date, the inhabitants of the town assembled together, 
and agreed, " that every male person living in the plan- 
tation, of sixteen years of age and upwards, should spend 
one day m cutting and clearmg away the foi'est about 
the meeting-house." The church was but partially 
finished, internally, by Mr. Worthington, but it appears 
that the town worshiped in it, nevertheless, with all of 
its inconveniences, till the year of 1780, when it was 



occasion. Subsequently, he was employed by Government to take the oaths of 
the insurgents for their allegiance to the Commonwealth. 

He held various offices of trust in town, and was chosen to represent its inter- 
ests in the General Coiirt, in 1806. Joined to the great exposure and suffering 
which he experienced in the army, was a slender constitution, whicli, in tlie lat- 
ter period of his life, so enfeebled his health, that he was unable to take an active 
part in the affairs of the town. 

While in the army, he experienced many hard fought battles, always charging 
into the very midst of the contest^ with an impetuosity and courage which no 
prudence could restrain. He was a fine looking officer, and in daring and horse- 
manship no one excelled him in the army. As a civilian, he retained that dig- 
nity and courtesy which so often mark the officers of the army, and always boie 
with him, in the intercourse with his fellow men, that affability and gentlemanly 
feeling, which so eminently characterised his younger brother, Mr. Jonali Brew- 
ster. He died on the 25th of Sept., 18o3. 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTON". 27 

remodeled, but not entirely finished. Pre^dous to tlie 
time stated above, the church had no pulpit, but a tem- 
porary stage erected in its stead. The seats for the con- 
gregation, were composed of benches, made from boards 
nailed to movable supports. The aged piirtof the con- 
gregation, brought chairs with them, for their own ease 
and comfort during the service. On the 29th of Marcli, 
1780, the town voted to build a pulpit, two deacons' 
seats, four seats on each side of the broad aisle, and also 
to lay the gallery floor and stairs. The remaining pe^^^ lo- 
cations were drawn by lot, on the following conditions : 
That the pews " should be finished at a stated time, and 
that each one should finish the back, up to the galley 
girt." In May, 1791, the unfinished state of the church, 
inside, aroused the public spuit, and called together the 
inhabitants of the town, when they passed the following 
resolution : " Voted, to have the Meeting house taken 
down, — moved^ — erected, and every way finished, by the 
1st day of Dec, in the year 1792, and that the whole ex- 
pense, accruing therefrom, shall be paid by the inhabi- 
tants of the town, by the fii'st day of Dec aforesaid, in the 
following articles, viz, one fourth part to be paid in cash, 
and the remainder to be paid in good neat cattle, or 
Indian corn, or rye, or flax, or beef, or pork." At a sub- 
secpient meeting, the town voted to liave all the pews in 
the meeting-house, sold at public auction to the higliest 
bidder. The amount for wliicli these pews sold, was 
£001. 8s, lawful money. When the new church Avas 
built, those persons who had paid for pews in the old 
church, were entitled to have the amount deducted 
which they had advanced, in purchasing the pews in tlie 
new l)uilding. This church occui)ied part of the ground 
now lying between the store of Messrs. Sidney Brewster 



28 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

and Son, and tlie dwelling house of Mr. S. N. Parisli. In 
tlie year of 1825, after a controversy too lengthy to be 
recorded, the town voted to build the church which is 
worshiped in at the present time. 

Churches of the Methodist Societies. 

The Methodist society at the southern extremity of 
the town, in the year of 1828, erected a church by sub- 
scription, which was worshiped in for twenty years. In 
the year of 1848, a plan was drawn of a small but neat 
and beautiful church, from which the model pews were 
sold to defray the expense of building. The new church 
accordingly was erected, and dedicated in the following 
year. In 1848, a new society of the Methodist denomi- 
nation was formed in the west part of the town. By 
tlie liberality of a few individuals, the church in which 
religious service is now regularly performed was erected. 
The church was dedicated in the year of 1849. 

Public Lands. 

Soon after the purchase of this plantation. Col. Worth- 
ington made the town a donation of nearly 1200 acres 
of land. This laud was divided into twelve sections, and 
was situated in different parts of the town. Six of 
these sections were called ministerial lots, and the re- 
mainder school lots. The object of this donation was 
to sui)ply the town with the preaching of the Gospel, 
and to defray the expenses of the town schools by the 
rent of these lands. However generous the gift, and 
noble the motives which prompted it, the town for a 
long time realized little or nothing from them, since they 
remained uncleared and uncultivated. Four of these 



TOWN OF WOETIIIXGTOX. 29 

lots were leased a few years after the incorporation of 
the toAvn. The remaining eight were rented in 1780. 

The following is a report of the committee appointed 
to dispose of the lots : 

WORTHIXGTON Dcc IS"" 1780 

We the subscribers, being a committee, chosen by the 
town of Worthiugton to dispose of the ministerial and school 
land belonging to said town have given leases to the follow- 
ing persons of the land above mentioned for the term of nine 
hundred and ninety nine years, viz 

To K Williams the school lot Ko 125 for the sum of ten bushels and four fifths o 

good wheat yearly. 

£. 8. d. 
To Daniel Chapman school lot No 223 for 57 

To Joseph Marsh " " No 57 " 160 

To Joseph Brown " " No 175 " 123 o 

To Edmund Petingell Jun, Min'l lot No 190 " 100 

To Timothy Meeeh " " No 75 " 90 

To Samuel Buck east half " " No 18 " 55 

To Asham Fanning west half " " No 18 " 55 

To Levi Flint " " No 91 '■ 66 10 

Taken obligations of the above cited persons 

JOHN KINNE )Town 

STEPHEN FlTCn [ Commit 

JONATHAN BREWSTER yee 

Common Schools. 
The subject of education early engaged the attention 
of the town, and received steadily the support and en- 
courairement of the law. Considerino^ the district school- 
house as an insurance building, where the morals and 
the virtue of the community were exempted from all 
hazard, by the corruption which arises from ignorance, 
the town at once, after its incorporation, paid its premi- 
um from its scanty means, and received its policy, which 
will run out only wdth eternity. The pecuniary embar- 
rassments experienced by the inhabitants of the town at 



30 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

its first settlement, and the active and liberal part whicli 
they took in tlie war with Great Britain soon after, fur- 
nishes them with a silent apology for the limited allow- 
ances which at first were granted for the maintenance of 
common schools. When we remember that, for the first 
four years, the expenses of the town, though amounting 
to only forty pounds, were obliged to be defrayed with 
borrowed money ; when we consider that the state taxes, 
from the want of hard money, were obliged to be paid 
in produce ; when we contemplate the extreme low 
price of all kinds of labor, we are rather surprised at 
what the town done for the support of common schools, 
than at what, in their necessit}^, they were prevented 
from doing. On the 19th of March, 1771, the toAvn vo- 
ted to raise ten pounds, silver money, for the suj^port of 
common schools. After the close of the war, this sum 
was increased at first to twenty pounds, and afterwards 
to thirty ; till at length, before the close of the last cen- 
tury, it amounted to sixty pounds annually. At the 
present time, and for the last ten years, the town has 
appropriated a medial sum of over $1400, including 
teachers' board and fuel, for the support of common 
schools annually. In 1772, the town was di\'ided into 
five districts. The limits of these districts, changing 
from time to time as the population increased, which, 
together with the addition of new ones, makes it difficult 
to trace their boundaries with any accuracy. In the 
year of 1833, the town voted to choose a committee of 
ten persons, one from each district, to re-divide the town 
into districts. This committee reported an additional 
district, with some alterations in the limits of the old 
ones. The first school house, composed of logs, was 
erected in 1773, near the gi'ound now occuiuecl l)y the 



TOWN OF WORTirrXGTON. 31 

dwelling house of Mr. John Adams. At the present 
time, eighty years from the above date, there are ten 
district school houses in town. 

The Academy. 

Ilium fuit.* 



CHAPTER V. 



THE MINISTRY. 



The town, for the first seven years after its settlement, 
was supplied with the preaching of the Gospel by minis- 
ters fi'om the neighbonng towns, who were paid for their 
services by voluntary contributions. On the 3d of Api-il, 
1'771, the town voted " to have the Rev. Jonathan Hun- 
tington for their minister." At the same time, the town 
voted to raise forty pounds for his support in the minis- 
try, and to raise four pounds each year, till it amounted 
to sixty pounds, which, after that tune, was to be paid to 
him annually. Subsequently, the town voted to raise 



* When the Romans looked bock with pride at one moment to the glory of Troy, 
and at the next with grief to its destruction by the Greeks, under the command of 
Nestor, Achilles, the two Ajaxes, and other Grecian princes, they were accustom- 
ed to exclaim, in the bitterness of their feelings, Ilium fuit — Troy was. 

A commentator upon these words of Virgil remarks, that "it was a custom 
among the Romans, when they would intimate the destruction of anything which 
reflected glory upon their nation, to say fuit, so as to shun sounds that were 
shocking, and accounted of bad omen. 



32 SECULAR HLSTORY OF THE 

fifty pounds l)y subscription for IVIr. Huntington, and 
sixty pounds for liis yearly support ; to l>e paid in wheat 
at six shillings, rye at four shillings, corn at three shil- 
lings per bushel, and other necessaries of life at their 
market value. Some dissatisfaction having arisen in re- 
gard to the manner of maintaining Mr. Huntington, and 
a few individuals refusing to contribute for his support, 
the selectmen of the town issued, on the 31st of March, 
1777, the following preamble and warrant : " Whereas, 
when Mr Huntington settled with us in the ministry in 
this town, he told us he would have no straightning for 
rates, and would have no money, raised in that way ; 
and notwithstanding the town did unanimously agree to 
support Mr Huntington by tax, or liberality, as by the 
vote of said town, it will appear ; and sundry of the in- 
habitants refuse or neglect to pay their proportion of 
agreement, or covenant, or contract — ^These are therefore 
to warn all of the inhabitants, who have a right to vote, 
by a late vote of this town, to meet together on Tuesday 
the 8th day of April, next, at two of the clock in the 
afternoon, at the Meeting house in said town, then and 
there to act on the following articles, 

" In the first place, to see if the town will shift their 
former method of su])porting Mr. Huntington ; in the 
second place, if so voted, then, to consider what way or 
method to come into, upon consideration." 

To this dissatisfaction on the pait of a few individuals, 
Mr. Huntington magnanimously replied to the town in 
the following letter : 

" Whereas, when I was settled, in this town, in the 
work of the ministry, on the 26th of June, in the year of 
our Lord 1771, I made known my principals and senti- 



TOWN OF WOETinNGTON. 33 

ments to the people, wlien I accepted their call to the 
work of the ministry ; and likewise before, and after my 
ordination, that it was contrary to my principals to ever 
have the civil law take place, to support the Gospel, and 
that I would have no money raised in that way ; and 
since it has been my principal ever since, and still Ls, 
that the civil law has nothing to do with the support 
of the Gospel ; and, whereas, there arises some uneasi- 
ness in some minds, ^vith regard to their pajnng their 
proportion of the covenant, which they made with me for 
my support in the Gospel way, because I have it in the 
power of my hand, to make the town pay all of the ar- 
rearages and hiterest that is behind, and so, that they 
shall have more than their proportion to pay — for which 
reason some refuse to pay ; 

" therefore to remove all difficulties that lay in such 
minds, and to minister my principals, if possible, more 
fully for the giory of God, and the peace of the church 
and people — these are therefore to give a full discharge 
to the town, of all that I might require of them by the 
civil law, since I have been ordaiued among them even 
to the present day ; and furthermore I nor my heirs 
never will nor shall bring any action against the to^vn 
for my ser\^ce in the ministry so long as God in His 
pro\ddence shall continue me here ; and furthermore it 
is my design and desire, that notwithstanding I give 
this la'wfiil discharge to the town, that I look upon my- 
self as much holden to them to serve them as before and 
that the town is as much holden to support me a Gospel 

way. 

Jonathan Huntington. 

■ To the Selectmen and town ] 
of Worthington" j 

5 



34 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

The town, at the next meeting, unanimously voted to 
support the Rev. Jonathan Huntington ])y a free contri- 
bution of sixty pounds a year, to be paid to him quar- 
terly. 

On the 20th of May, IV 88, the Rev. Josiah Spaulding 
was invited by the town to settle with them in the work 
of the ministry. His salary, during the first year of his 
ministry, was one hundred pounds. The reply to this 
invitation of the town by Mr. Spaulding, has no record. 

On the 6th of August, 1794, the town voted unani- 
mously to give the Rev. Jonathan L. Pomeroy a call to 
settle in the work of the ministry, and also voted to give 
him for the first year, as a salary, one hundred and eighty 
pounds, lawful money, and ever after that, as long as he 
should continue in the woi'k of the ministr}^, one hundred 
and ten pounds, together with thirty cords of fire wood, to 
be paid annually. The following is Mr. Pomeroy's reply : 

" To tlie Church and people 
of Worthington, 

" Brethren and Friends, 
"The call which I have received from you to settle in 
the work of the ministry in this town, I have attentively 
and prayfully considered, and have concluded to accept. — 
The advice of my friends — the apparent harmony among 
this people — a consideration of the division, which in the 
opinion of many of you, as it has been manifested to me 
would probal)ly take place, should you employ a number 
of candidates — all these things have operated powerfully 
with me to bring me to this determination. — The liber- 
ality of the town, considering the sums which have usually 
been paid to ministers in this part of the country, I 
readily acknowledge to be great ; and the generosity of 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTON. 35 

individuals, I also recognise witli gratitude as a testimony 
of esteem for me, and good wishes for the peace and 
liappiness of this society. — Wliat ninbrage my unwilling- 
ness to comply with former customs may occasion, I can- 
not determine — No objections of any considerable con- 
sequence have come to my knowledge, respecting this 
article. — Should there be uneasiness in the minds of 
many — my continuance among you cannot be for your 
advantage, and should it be exhibited before it is too 
late, I shall not view myself bound by any thing con- 
tained in this answer, to make a permanent settlement 
with you. — With the warmest ^Wslies for your lasting 
union and prosperity, spiritual and temporal, 
I am Gentlemen unfeignedly your 

friend and obedient serv't 

Jonathan Law. Pomeeoy 

WORTHINGTON, Oct 14"^ 1794," 

On the 5th of Nov., 1833, the town voted to give the 
Rev. Henry Adams a call to settle in the ministry with 
the Congregational Society of Worthington, and to ofter 
him the sum of six hundred dollars for his yearly salary. 
Mr. Adams made the following answer to the town: 

" To the Congregational Church and 
Society in Worthington, 

" Beethken and Friends, 
" Your in\atation to me to settle with you in the minis- 
try, has been communicated to me by your committee. 
In answer to it, I would say, tliat I see no sufficient rea- 
sons, why I should not comply with it. — I have long 
devoted myself to the spiritual benefit of my fellow men, 
and considering the unanimity of feehng, manifested in 



36 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

favour of my remaining with you, I see not why I may 
not be as useful here in the cause, to which I have de- 
voted myself, as in any other field of labor. — I confess 
that my mind instinctively shrinks from the responsibili- 
ties of a Christian minister, and well it may if my confi- 
dence, is any thing like self confidence. But I trust in 
God, that He will sustain me. Relying upon Him, that 
He will give me His guidance, and the comforting aid of 
His spirit, I answer your letter in the aflii'mative. — The 
sum mentioned in the in\dtation of the society, as a 
means of support, is no doubt sufficient for every reason- 
able purpose, and is therefore satisfactory. — ^That also 
which is said in reference to the manner, in which our 
connexion may be dissolved, coincides entirely with my 
own feelings in reference to the subject. — With the 
prayer that God would bless my efforts for your benefit 
I am 

Your servant in the ministry 

H. Adasis" 

On the 20th of September, 1838, Mr. Adams, on ac- 
count of ill liealth, w^hich had for some time obliged him 
to cease from his labors, addressed the following letter 
to the chm'ch and society : 

" To the Conojreo^ational Church and 
Society in Worthington, 

" Beloved Bretiiren and Friends, 
" It has seemed to be my duty, no longer to delay ma- 
king a communication of the views, in which my mind 
has been for some time becoming fixed, in reference to 
the prospect of my being able to resume again my la- 
bors, as your minister. — The fact ought not to be con- 
cealed from you that my expectations of being able to 



TOWN OF WORTHHSraTON. 3*7 

preacli within any period of time not remote, have been 
continually diminishing since ceasing from my labors, 
till the present time, and now I cannot say that I think 
there is any reason to hope, that I shall be able to do 
it. — ^This being the case, your interest seems to require, 
that I should retire from my station, and make room for 
some other person to occupy my place. Accordingly, 
I would hereby request you to join with me in dissohing 
the relation, which we hold to each other. — As the cir- 
cumstances of the case prevents the necessity of my giv- 
ing the six months notice of my intention of my leaving, 
which was the basis of our connection, — I will therefore 
say that you are at liberty to proceed immediately to 
make arrangements for obtaining as soon as may be an 
individual, to supply my place. Hoping that you may 
succeed, in that you may soon find a man after God's 
own heart, and that you may enjoy uninterupted tem- 
poral and spiritual prosperity. 

I remain most affectionately Yours, 

Heney Adams" 

On the 10th of Nov., 1838, the town voted to give 
the Rev. John H. Bisbee, the present pastor of the 
church, an invitation to settle over the Congregational 
Society as its minister ; voted also, if he accepts, to give 
him six hundred dollars annually as his salary, so long 
as he shall continue to be minister and pastor of said so- 
ciety. The following is a copy of Mr. Bisbee's reply : 

" To the Church and Society ) 
in Worthington. ) 

" Brethren and friends, 
" Having received from you, through your Committee, 
an invitation to settle with you in the work of the Gospel 



38 SEOUL AE HISTOEY OF THE 

Ministry, I hereby inform you, tliat after due deliberation, 
and prayer, I consider it my duty to accept said invita- 
tion. I will therefore be in readiness to unite with you, 
when desirable in making the necessary arrangements, 
preparatory to my installation. Wishing you grace, 
mercy and peace 

I remain Yours &c 

J. H Bkbee" 



CHAPTER VI. 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT 
MEN WHO HAVE RESIDED IN THE TOWN. 

Doctor Moses Morse was educated at the University 
of Cambridge, in England, and subsequently practiced his 
profession, as physician and surgeon, in the hospitals of 
Liverpool and London. From the commencement of 
the Revolutionary war, he appears, by the town records, 
to have inclined in his prejudices towards the cause of 
Great Britain, and to have shown himself to have been 
as notorious as a tory as he was eminent as a physician. 
By shrewdness and tact, he influenced the town to pass 
a vote, in 1*774, making the Non-importation act in re- 
gard to tea, which the town a few years before had cove- 
nanted to maintain, null and void. In 1777, his talents 
procured him a seat in the General Court, where he 



TOWN OF WOETHINGTON. 39 

remained but a short time, having been recalled and 
censured, on account of his flagrant toryism, by the fol- 
lowing resolution, passed by the town on the 14th of 
January, 1777: "Voted that Doct Moses Morse, for 
his misconduct in refusing to act in behalf of the town, 
relative to a petition, and saying that he would oppose it 
with all of his might, directly contrary to the vote of this 
town, ought not, in justice to the cause for which, we are 
now contending with Great Britain sit any longer as a 
Representative in the General Court for this town." 
This petition was a request made by the town to the 
Masachusetts Legislature, to have its unimproved land 
taxed, to assist in defra}ang the expenses of the war. 

In spite of the ill-will and prejudice which his conduct 
at this time occasioned, he subsequently was a])poiuted 
by the town to act on important committees, on account 
of his eminent talents and ability. 

In character, he appears to have been an antipathetic, 
dogmatical person, whose affections and sympathies dif- 
fered entirely from those of his neighbors, and whose 
desire always to be classed in the ranks of those who 
opposed their cause, robbed him of that respect and es- 
teem which his abilities otherwise would have won. 

He died near the close of the last century, in a fit of 
apoplexy. His body was borne to the grave on the 
shoulders of Revolutionary soldiers, whom during most 
of his life he had opposed. 

The coffin in which he was carried burst open on the 
shoulders of his neighbors before they reached the grave, 
which was nearly a mile from his residence, causing the 
corpse to roll upon the ground, and manifesting, as one 
of the soldier bearers quaintly expressed it, that " ha- 
bitual contrariness which wiis so characteristic of him." 



40 SECULAE HISTORY OF THE 

Ezra Staek wether, wlio was born on the 15tli of Dec, 
1754, in Stonington, Conn., was tlie eldest of nine sons, 
four of whom early enlisted in the service of their 
country, and lost their lives in the Revolutionary strug- 
gle. Near the commencement of the war, the subject 
of this notice, who had just entered his profession as phy- 
sician in the town of Preston, Conn., abandoned his prac- 
tice and immediately joined the army, which at that time 
was stationed at Crown Point. At the expiration of six 
months his health failed him, and he was obliged to leave 
the army, for which he had so zealously and patriotically 
relinquished a lucrative practice. Upon leaving the 
army, he returned to Preston and resumed his profession, 
where he remained until near the year 1785, when he 
removed to this town. 

To the worth of Ezra Starkwether, his adopted town 
have borne ample testimony. He represented the town 
as a member of the Legislature during six years, and 
gained for himself as a legislator that respect which tal- 
ent, joined with mtegrity, so often wins. He was a mem- 
ber of the Senate from 1803 to 1813, inclusive, and also 
in 1815-16 and 1817. In 1820, he was chosen by the 
town as a member of the State Convention, held at Bos- 
ton, for the purpose of revismg the Constitution of the 
Commonwealth. 

Although he was honored during so many successive 
years with the emoluments of office, yet his pacific and 
controlling character was felt, if possible, more in the 
church than in general society. 

He was the great pacificator in the difficulties of the 
church, and the gi'eat compromiser in the dissentions of 
tlie town. His words fell on the angry elements of dis- 
cord as ' oil upon troubled waters.' He listened with 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTON. 41 

attention and respect to tlie arguments and claims of both 
parties in controversy, and decided between the right 
and the wrong with a just and unprejudiced arbitration. 
He was easy and facetious in conversation, affable in 
his disposition, and courteous in his manners. lie died 
on the 27th of July, 1834. 

Jonathan Brewster, Jr., the subject of this notice, was 
born in November, 1759, in the town of Preston, New 
London county, Conn. Starting in life at the close of 
one war, and at the commencement of a controversy 
which led to a second, he had the advantage of both of 
those periods of existence, when the fresh recollection of 
patriotic devotion and self-sacrifice in the past, and the 
hopes of usefulness and distinction in the future, tend to 
awaken the better impulses of human nature and pro- 
duce men of firm and unchangeable characters. He had 
the advantage, too, with a f^ither ardently inclined to the 
cause of the colonies, and an elder brother engaged in 
the war, of becommg familiar with all the details of 
his country's dispute with Great Britain, and of the con- 
flict which was to end it. 

How far a family interest in the struggle for our Na- 
tional Independence, and in the twelve years' conflict of 
words which preceded it, — ^how far a domestic sympathy 
in the wants and dangers of an army struggling for free- 
dom, tended to produce and form a class of men of strong 
and resolute minds, let that difference answer which so 
plainly exists at this day between the present generation 
and the two that have preceded it. Of this family 
hearthstone interest in our political controversy with 
Great Britain, the subject of this sketch early partook. 
He read in the family newspaper with earnestness those 

6 



42 SECULAE HISTOEY OF THE 

eloquent debates in Congress wliicli we now calmly 
peruse in history, and became, while a boy, thoroughly 
acquainted with all those details of a great pohtical de- 
bate which necessarily imparts vigor and energy to the 
mind. 

Thus he became, in after life, an invaluable man to 
the town, representing its interests with a fearlessness and 
success which no other man at that time could have 
commanded. 

In the spring of 1777, when he was in his eighteenth 
year, he removed with his father, deacon Jonathan Brew- 
ster, to this town. Soon after his age had entitled him 
to take a practical part in the business of the town, he 
was chosen to fill the most important offices in its gift. 
Having a good command of language, and being a sound 
reasoner, he was often appointed by the town to advo- 
cate their cause in differences with other towns. Before 
the Board of County Commissioners he presented the 
interests of the town seldom without success. In 
town meetings, as chairman, he presided with confidence 
and dignity. As a public speaker, though imj^ulsive, and 
sometimes passionate, he was never hstened to without 
attention and respect. 

At seven different times he represented the town in 
the General Court, where he was respected for his ability, 
and often honored by being appointed as chairman upon 
important committees. He belonged to the Board of 
Selectmen during a number of years, and held important 
town trusts till near the time of his death. 

In character, he was firm and unchangeable. He ex- 
pressed his opinions hastily, confidently, and perhaps 
sometimes dogmatically; Ijut no man in town ever 
weighed a sul)ject more accurately, or viewed it in all of 



TOWN OF WORTHESTGTOlSr. 43 

its manifold bearings more scrutinizingly, tlian he. A 
man of strong prejudices, when once he had examined a 
subject and taken his position in regard to it, no motives 
could influence, no arguments persuade him to relinquish 
it. As a husband, he was kind and affectionate ; as a 
father, he was a thorough disciplinarian — austere, yet 
mingling kindness with austerity. He died in February, 
1841, loved by the poor for his kindness, and respected 
by the rich for his integrity. 

AzARiAH Parsoists was born in the town of North- 
ampton, in the year 17G1. He removed to this town 
at a period of its history the most cheerless and unin\at- 
ing. The soldiers of the war, worn out with service and 
without money, were returning to their families, who 
could welcome them with nothing but indigence and 
want. The treasury of the town, too, where the poor 
and destitute were authorized to find protection against 
the sufferings of cold and hunger, had long been drained 
by the expenses of the war. At this time, 1782, most for- 
tunately for the pecuniary interests of the town, Azariah 
Parsons, the most charitable and humane man known in 
the individual history of its early citizens, settled in this 
place. He was a man who earnestly sympathized with 
the poor in their suffering, and it was as natural for him 
to give to them the half of his goods as it was for Zacheus. 
There was a humanity in his nature, which was ever open- 
ing to the poor an avenue to his heart, and which was 
calling continually to the suffering and destitute to take 
shelter under the wings of his benevolence. Charity 
with him was considered a duty ; and the more cheerfully 
it was performed, the greater recompense he thought he 
should receive from that kind Being, who is a fnend to 



44 SECULAR HISTOEY OF THE 

the friendless. Thus he visited, during his whole life, 
the families of the poor in town, sought out their wants 
and promptly relieved them of theii' destitution. He 
died on the 25tli of May, 1846, and received as a recom- 
pense for his temporal charity the eternal benefaction of 
Him " who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb." 

Closely following the early settlers of this town upon 
the stage of life, was a generation of men who not only 
mherited all of that indi^ddual firmness and self-reliance, 
which so eminently characterised their fathers, but also 
added to their hereditary excellencies, that refinement of 
character, which is gained by the privileges and oppor- 
tunities of a more liberal education. As the branch- 
es of the banyan tree, which bend to the ground and 
take new root, grow up as strong as the parent stock, 
and whose timber, from the fineness of the grain, at the 
same time is better adapted to the wants of man ; so the 
second generation of the inhabitants of this town grew 
up as strong in character as the first, yet with minds more 
refined, and with manners more polished. While the influ- 
ences of the war, and the nature of the controversy which 
preceded it, exercised all of the intellectual faculties, and 
stimulated all of the energies of the soul, causing so many 
of the early settlers of the town to become valual)le and 
controlling men, the history of this war, told as it was 
around the fireside at evening, and the investigation of 
those elementary principles of society and government 
which grew out of it, formed a class of individuals to 
succeed them, no less useful or influential. What the 
long series of sufferings and trials which the new settle- 
ment endured, and the hardships of a protracted war 
accomplished in forming the resolute characters of such 



TOWN OF WORTTTTNGTON. 45 

men as Natlianiel Daniels, Nalmm Eager, Nathan Leon- 
ard and the elder Brewster, the history of the same and 
the practical knowledge derived from it, necessarily in- 
spiring the noblest principles and awakening the highest 
energies, did to create that class of dignified men, of 
which the subject of this biographical sketch stood 
prominent. 

WiLLiA:\r Waed was born in the adjoining town of 
Cummington, on the 18th of May, 1781. His father 
dying when he was quite young, he removed to this town 
when he was but fourteen years of age, and entered the 
store of Mr. William Gove jis clerk. His strict atten- 
tion to business, and the faithful performance of his 
duties, won for him at an early age, the implicit confi- 
dence of his employer. At the age of seventeen, the 
entire business of the store was entrusted to his care ; and 
it was at this time, while he was purchasing goods in 
Boston, that his al)ility and engaging manners gained for 
him a passport into the best society, and the acquaintance 
of such men as Fisher Ames, Josiah Quincy, and other 
distinguished gentlemen, whom it was his fortune to meet 
with, when his business called him to the city. 

In 1805, he formed a matrimonial connection with 
Miss Elizabeth Gove, of Connecticut, daughter of Mr. 
William Gove, of an ancient and respectable family of 
that state. This lady, of whose virtues and exemplary 
piety, it were impossible to speak in terms of exaggeration, 
was, for a period of little short of half a century the cher- 
ished and affectionate partner of his life. By her kindness 
and amiable disposition, she robbed life of many of its 
cares and perplexities, and strewed his path through this 
world with the proofs of affection. The companion of his 



46 SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 

youtli and manliood was the comfort of Ms declining years, 
and to the close of life enjoyed the e\ddence of his warm- 
est regard and affection. To her ^drtues, she united those 
endearing qualities which signalize the fulfilment of all 
the social duties, and adorn with grace, and fill wdth 
enjoyment, the tender relations of domestic life. 

Soon after his marriage, he removed to "The Cor- 
ners," and commenced business in his own name, which 
he continued with little or no intermission until within 
a few years of his death. 

As a public man, he held during his life various offices 
of trust and distinction. At five different times, he rep- 
resented the interests of the town, in the General Couii: 
of the Commonwealth. In 1826, he was chosen to fill a 
vacancy in the Senate, occasioned by the death of the 
Hon. Elihu Lyman. He accepted this office at the time 
of his election, but on account of his business, he did not 
take his seat in that body. Subsequently, he was chosen 
a member of the Senate for Hampshire county, which 
office he held during the years of 1836 and 1837. He 
also held, by the appointment of the state, a prominent 
place among that body of distinguished men, who were 
called to alter and amend the legislative enactments of 
the Commonwealth. As an officer of the United States 
Government, he was post-master for the town during 
eleven different administrations. 

In 1851, the town with a commendable gratitude for 
his past services, and a unanimity of sentiment w^hich 
will always be recollected with pleasure, honored him 
with the highest office in its gift. He accepted this office, 
probably with more just pride, than any honor, which 
dm-ing his life had ever been conferred upon him. He 
felt as if it was to be, as it proved, the last public testi- 



TOWN OF WOETHLNGTON. 4Y 

mony borne by his townspeople to Ills character. No 
man ever left his neighbors and friends with a deeper 
sense of gratitude, or a higher appreciation of their con- 
fidence, than Col. Ward did, after his election as repre- 
sentative in 1851. 

To the pleasant recollection of this confidence, was 
added the happy anticipations of a retreat to Holyoke, 
where, in the company of a beloved wife, and an aftection- 
ate daughter, he could retire whenever fatigued Avitli the 
cares of legislative business. These fond anticipations 
never were realized. His wife wiis taken sick near 
the last of November, and died on the 14th of December 
following. He followed her corpse to his residence in 
this town, but his heart never left her. He died on 
Saturday, the 20th of December, 1851. 

Col. Ward was one of those men, whose death creates 
a vacancy, so impressive, that it robs language of all of its 
powers of eulogy, and renders panegyric tame and profit- 
less to those who knew him well. AVith the tmf scarcely 
green upon his grave — to the young, who had the honor of 
his personal acquaintance, and in whose behalf he always 
manifested the warmest interest — to the middle aged, who 
sought with confidence his advice, and to the old man, 
who looked upon him as a friend — no commendation of 
his life and services, can be compared to that personal 
knowledge of his character, which was gained while he 
was in life ; but to those who know less of the character 
of Col. Ward than his neighbors and townsmen, and to 
those, who, in after time, shall desire to look back with 
pride upon their native town, a record of some of his 
prominent qualities will not be entirely in vain. 

The character of Col. Ward was formed at an early 
period of his life. Leaving his home when he wiis only 



48 BECULAE HISTORY OF THE 

fourteen years of age, and entering soon after into the 
active and responsible duties of a mercantile business, he 
was taught before he had reached the threshold of man- 
hood, that lesson of self-reliance, which germinates and 
quickens to growth all the latent energies of the mind. 
Having natm'ally a retentive memory, and a fondness for 
history, he commenced early in hfe to collect and trea- 
sure up in the storehouse of his mind, those facts and 
records of events, which in after life, became the sources 
of that unlimited information which he possessed. He 
had an ardent passion for the details of events, and those 
minute particulars of affairs passing around him, which 
other men scarcely notice and never retain. Thus he 
knew the name and age of every child — the genealogy of 
nearly every family in town, and the individual history 
of its meml^ers. To this power of gathering and retain- 
ing the particulars of events, his mind joined the faculty 
of generalising these details and arranging them into 
their respective classes. Hence arose his faculty of judg- 
ing so correctly upon any sulyect which was brought 
before him, and of giving advice so judiciously to those 
who sought it. 

In conversation, he was particularly interesting and 
instructive. Having an inexhaustible fund of informa- 
tion, no subject could be started, either in Church or 
State history, about which he could not relate something 
Avhich would mterest the most inattentive and phlegmatic 
listener. His literary taste was more refined, than that 
of most men of his time and circumstances. He read 
with delight the gorgeous imagery, and eloquent de- 
scriptions contained in the works of Bm'ke, and perused 
^vith no less pleasure, the ^ngorous and terse letters of 
Junius. He was familiar with the writings of Shak- 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTON. 49 

speare, and read witli an appreciating sense the epic 
poems of Milton. 

As a public speaker lie was indifferent, and it was sel- 
dom that he ventured to speak upon any subject before 
an audience ; but as a writer, some of his repoits, made 
while he was a member of the Senate, bear the marks 
of great perspicuity in diction and vigor in style. 

He was conservative, as it regards his political opinions, 
but upon many subjects, the inquiring nature of his mind 
often betrayed his radicalism. To know the cause of all 
things, often led him to examine new theories in science 
and religion, and this habit of examination often caused 
him to view the exposition of any modern phenomena, 
whether physical or moral, with more leniency than he 
otherwise would have done. 

As a citizen, he was entertaining and hospitable ; as a 
neighbor, obliging and courteous; as a friend, he was 
especially kind to the young. 

The vacancy which his death occasioned, extended not 
only through the neighborhood where he resided, and 
the town in which he lived, but to the heart of every 
one who had had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and 
the honor of his friendship. 

The death of Col. Ward occasioned the following 
remarks, which were made in the Massachusetts Legisla- 
ture, near the commencement of the session of 1852 : 

Mr. Hopkins, of Northampton, arose and said : 

Mr. Speaker : It becomes my painful duty to announce to 
this house, the death of Hon. William Ward, of Worthington, 
a member elect of this body. 

William Ward was born on the 18th of May, 1781, and died 
at his residence, in Worthington, on the 20th of December, 
1851, in the 71st year of his age. He was bred and con- 

7 



50 SEOUL AE HISTORY OF THE 

tinued through life a merchant, with partial attention to 
farming interests. He was more than a common man. He 
was an extensive reader, possessed of a retentive memory, 
and^kept himself well informed of current events. There were 
few men in the country whose knowledge of public affairs, of 
nations and governments, was superior to his. With a 
mind well stored and cultivated beyond most others in like 
situations, he became a friend, associate, and desirable and 
honorable companion of many of the most distinguished men 
of his time in the Western part of the state. 

The public have borne testimony to his worth. He first 
represented the town of Worthington in this House in the 
years 1S16 and 1S17, and afterwards in the years 1831 and 
1835. The county of Hampshire honored him with the trust 
of Senator in the years ] 836 and 1837. The state honored 
him by calling him to serve on the committee for revising the 
statutes of the Commonwealth. 

For forty-six years of his life he held the office of post mas- 
ter — a just tribute to his integrity, and a singular indication 
of the esteem in which he was held by all classes and parties. 

He was a friend whose counsel and decision were exten- 
sively sought in his own and neighboring towns, and his 
death has left a vacancy in the community which must long 
be felt and lamented. 

His wife died but six days before him. He was then in 
health ; but ere she was laid in the grave, death commenced 
its work with the husband also. They were united in life, 
and were permitted, almost hand in hand, to pass the valley 
of the shadow of death. 

But, sir, there is one circumstance which, more than all 
others, gives a peculiar irapressiveness to the event in its re- 
lation to us. Had he been spared to take his seat here, the 
duty would have devolved on him of calling the House to 
order, and presiding over it through the preliminaries of its 
organization. But, sir, that hand which seemed destined to 
grasp your own in welcome to the chair you occupy, lies cold 



TOWN OF WOETHESrOTON. 51 

in a snow-clad grave. That voice which seemed destined to 
offer the first official greeting to us all, is hushed in death. 
Our friend, our senior, is no more. We are here. He is 
amid other scenes and in other duties. There is but a step 
between us and our friend, between our position and duties 
here, and our position and duties there. May tlie thought, 
sir, chasten and hallow all our acts. 

This notice, sir, I have felt was due to the memory of our 
departed friend, and due also to us, that we should properly 
note and improve the admonitions of Providence. 

Having thus announced the death of Hon. William Ward, 
I move, sir, that a committee be appointed to report what 
order the House should take thereon. 

Mr. Kellogg, of Pittsfield, in seconding the motion, spoke 
as follows : 

Mr. Speaker: I second the motion, and I desire to add 
that Colonel Ward was almost as well known in Berkshire 
as in his own county of Hampshire ; and the public there 
will, I am sure, cheerfully concur with the gentleman, in 
ascribing to the deceased the elevated character that we have 
heard. His life was, indeed, one of great usefulness to the 
people of the region where he lived. He possessed, as the 
gentleman has said, superior natural endowments, a highly 
cultivated general intelligence, a judgment unusually sound 
and discriminating ; all his conduct was directed by the 
strictest integrity ; and he has been, through his whole life, 
hailed by all who knew him or felt his influence, as a chief 
counsellor in all the affairs of life. 

I sincerely sympathize with his children and relatives 
under their sudden and severe bereavement ; and I sympa- 
thize also with the people of Worthington and the neighbor- 
ing region, who have lost so great and patriarchal a cha- 
racter ; and allow me to say, furthermore, that I deplore that, 
in the providence of God, Colonel Ward could not join us 
in the public duties of the session, where he would certainly 



52 SECULAR HISTOEY OF THE 

have commanded the same universal esteem from his asso- 
ciates that he used to enjoy amongst our predecessors, and 
where he would have amply justified, before our eyes, the 
eulogy that the gentleman from Northampton has paid to 
his character and services. 

The motion was adopted, and Messrs. Hopkins of North- 
ampton, Kellogg of Pittsfield, Lincoln of Boston, Fay of 
Southboro, and Allen of Tisbury, were appointed on the 
committee, and they reported the following : 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives has learned 
with grief of the decease of the Hon. William Ward, a mem- 
ber elect of this body from the town of Worthington. 

Resolved, That the House bears cordial testimony to the 
worth, the integrity, and the eminent public services of the 
deceased, and is deeply sensible of the loss which it has sus- 
tained in being thus deprived of his counsels. 

Resolved, That the House deeply sympathizes with the 
family and friends of the deceased in their bereavement. 

Resolved, That copies of the foregoing resolves be trans- 
mitted to the family and friends of the deceased, and to the 
selectmen of the town of Worthington. 

Resolved, That as a further testimony of respect for the 
memory of the deceased, the House do now adjourn. 

These resolutions were unanimously adopted, and accord- 
ingly the House adjourned. 



TOWN OF WOETHINGTON. 53 



A list of the Representatives of the town of Worthington to the 
Provincial Cojigress, and to the General Court of the State of 
Massachusetts, with the year in which they were chosen by the toum, 
affixed to their respective names. 

^Y Moses Morse, Agent to Provincial Congress, 1773. 
>"?. Moses Morse, Representative to General Court, 1777. 

Nahum Eager, Representative to Provincial Congress, 
1774. 

Nahum Eager, Representative to General Court, 1781, 
1783, 1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1794, 1796, 1797. 

Nathan Leonard, Representative to General Court, 1775. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, Representative to General 
Court, 1778, 1779, 1782, 1784, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1793, 1795. 

Hon. Ezra Starkwether, Representative to General 
Court, 1788, 1798, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803. 

Mathew Warner, Representative to General Court, 1799. 

Jonathan Woodbridge, Representative to General Court, 
1804, 1805, 1807. 

Elisha Brewster, Representative to General Court, 1806. 

Jonathan Brewster, Jr., Representative to General Court, 
1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1813, 1819, 1831. 

Samuel Howe, Representative to General Court, 1812. 

Josiah Mills, Representative to General Court, 1814, 1815, 
1822, 1829, 1835. 

Hon. Wm. Ward, Representative to General Court, 1816, 
1817, 1831, 1834, 1851. 

Trowbridge Ward, Representative to General Court, 1820, 
1821. 

Jonah Brewster, Representative to General Court, 1823, 
1832, 1833. 

Ransloe Daniels, Representative to General Court, 1836, 
1845. 

Chancey B. Rising, Representative to General Court, 1838, 
1840. 



54 



SECULAR HISTORY OF THE 



James Benton, Representative to General Court, 1839. 

Ames Burr, Representative to General Court, 1841, 1842, 

Ethan C. Ring, Representative to General Court, 1843, 
1844. 

Elisha H. Brewster, Representative to General Court, 
1847, 1852. 

Elbridge Hazen, Representative to General Court, 1848. 

Ethan Barnes, Representative to General Court, 1849, 
1850. 



A list of the Selectmen of the town, from its incorporation to the 

jpresent time. 



1768. 



1769. 



Vino. 



mi. 



1772. 



1773. 



1774. 



1775. 



1776. 



Nathan Leonard, 
Nathaniel Daniels, 
John Kinne. 
Thomas Kinne, 
Moses Morse, 
Samuel Clapp. 
Nathan Leonard, 
Nathaniel Daniels, 
Nahum Eager. 
Joseph Marsh, 
John Kinne, 
Alexander Miller. 
Ebenezer Leonard, 
Joseph Marsh, 
Alexander Miller. 
Nathaniel Daniels, 
Nahum Eager, 
Thomas Kinne. 
Nahmn Eager, 
Nathaniel Daniels, 
John Kinne. 
Nathaniel Daniels, 
Jonathan Prentice, 
Jeremiah Kinne. 
Ebenezer Leonard, 
Thomas Kinne, 
Moses Morse. 



1777. Nathan Leonard, 
Thomas Kinne, 
Joseph Marsh. 

1778. Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 
Timotliy Meech, 

John Skiff. 

1779. Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 
Moses Porter, 
William Burr. 

1780. Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 
Moses Porter, 

Joshua Philips, 
Nathaniel Daniels, 
Zephaniah Hatch. 

1781. Nahum Eager, 
John Kinne, 
Jonathan Prentice. 

1782. Nahum Eager, 
Samuel Woods, 
Stephen Fitch. 

1783. John Watts, 
Stephen Fitch, 
Samuel Woods. 

1784. Nahum Eager, 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 
John Kinne. 



TOWN OF WOETinNGTON. 



55 



1785. 



1786. 



1787. 



1788. 



1789, \ 

1790. ) 

1791, \ 

1792. 1 

1793. 



1794. 



1795. 



1796. 



1797, ) 

1798. 1 

1799. 



1800. 



1801. 



1802. 



Nahum Eager, 

Dea, Jonathan Brewster, 

Job. Mai-sh. 

Nahum Eager, 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

John Kinne. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

Nathan Branch, 

Ezra Leonard. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

John Kinne, 

Ezra Leonard. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

Mathew Warner, 

Thadeus Chapin. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

Mathew Warner, 

Nathan Branch. 

Jonathan Woodbridge, 

Rufus Marsh, 

Israel Burr. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

Nahum Eager, 

Mathew Warner. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

Mathew Warner, 

Jonathan Woodbridge. 

Dea. Jonathan Brewster, 

Rufus Marsh, 

Nathan Branch. 

Rufus Marsh, 

Elisha Brewster, 

Samuel Cook. 

Elisha Brewster, 

Samuel Cook, 

Ezra Leonard. 

Ezra Leonard, 

Samuel Cook, 

Joseph Marsh. 

Samuel Cook, 

Jonathan Brewster, Jr., 

Eliasliib Adams, Jr. 

Samuel Cook, 

Jonathan Brewster, Jr., 

Jonathan Woodbridge. 



1803. 



1804. 



180.5. 



1806. 



1807. 



1808. 



1809, 
1810. 



1818. 



1819, 
1820. 



1821, ' 

1822. ' 

1823. 



1824, 
1825. 



Jonathan Brewster, Jr., 
Jonathan Woodbridge, 
Nathan Ilazen. 
Jonathan Woodbridge, 
Roger Benjamin, 
Elijah Curtis. 
Roger Benjamin, 
Elijah Curtis, 
Azariah Parsons. 
Ezra Leonard, 
Cynis Stowell, 
Trowbridge Ward. 
Ezra Leonard, 
Trowbridge Ward, 
John Stone. 

Jonathan Brewster, Jr., 
Trowbridge Ward, 
John Stone. 

Jonathan Brewster, Jr., 
John Stone, 
Josiah Mills. 
Jonathan Brewster, Jr., 
Josiah Mills, 
Roger Benjamin. 
Ezra Starkwether, 
Azariah Parsons, 
Cj'prean Parish. 
Ezra Starkwether, 
Cyprean Parisli, 
Azariah Parsons. 
Trowbridge Ward, 
Joseph Marsh, 
James Kelley. 
Jonah Brewster, 
' Josiah Mills, 

Roger Benjamin. 
' Jonah Brewster, 
Trowbridge Ward, 
William Eager. 
Jonah Brewster, 
William Eager, 
John Stone, Jr. 
' Jonah Brewster, 
John Stone Jr., 
Timothy Austin. 



56 



SECULAR HISTOEY OF THE 



1826. 



1827, > 

1828. J 

1829. 



1830. 



1831. 



1832, ] 

1833. 1 

1834. 



1835, ^ 

1836. 1 

1837. 



1838. 



1839. 



Jonah Brewster, 
John Stone, Jr., 
Joseph BardwelL 
Jonah Brewster, 
John Stone, Jr., 
Gorham Cottrell. 
"William Coit, 
Ansel Burr, 
Lathrop Reed. 
Jonah Brewster, 
Ansel Burr, 
Jeremiah Phillips. 
Josiah Mills, 
Ansel Burr, 
Jeremiah Phillips. 
Clement Burr, 
Jeremiah Phillips, 
Luther Granger. 
Ransloe Daniels, 
Ames Burr, 
Oren Stone. 
James Benton, 
Elkanah Ring, 
Azariah Parsons. 
C. B. Rising, 
Jeremiah Phillips, 
Ames Burr. 
Ransloe Daniels, 
Ames Burr, 
Elkanah Ring. 
Norman Allen, 
Luther Granger, 
James Bisbee. 



1840. Ransloe Daniels, 
Elkanah Ring, 
Russel Bartlett. 



1841, 
1842. 



Ransloe Daniels, 
Ames Burr, 
Russel Bartlett. 



1843. Ransloe Daniels, 
Elkanah Ring, 
Russel Bartlett. 

1844. Russel Bartlett, 
John Adams, 
Elbridge Hazen. 

1845. John Adams, 
Elbridge Hazen, 
Oren Stone. 

1846. John Adams, 
Elbridge Hazen, 
Tilson Bartlett. 



1847, 
1848. 

1849, 
1850, 
1861. 



Elbridge Hazen, 
Azariah Parsons, 
Oren Stone. 

Russel Bartlett, 
Milton Brewster, 
Ethan Barnes. 



1852. Elisha H. Brewster, 
Jotham Clark, 
James Bisbee. 

1853. Jotham Clark, 
James Bisbee, 
William H. Bates. 



TOWN OF WORTHINGTON. 



57 



A list of the Professional men who have resided in the town of 







Worthington. 




PHYSICIANS. 




Doctor Morse, 






Doctor D. Peirce, 




' E. Starkwether, 






" H. Starkwether, 




' Marsh, 






Wheeler, 




' Brewster, 






Bois, 




' Porter, 






" Colt, 




' Richards, 






" Brown, 




' Dwight, 






" Prevost, 




' Spear, 






" Lyman, 




' Rodgers, 






" Knowlton, 




' Case, 






" Freeland, 




' Peirce, 






" Smith, 




' Mekins, 






" A. Peirce. 




' Holland, 










LAWl'ERS. 




Joseph Lyman, 






Jonathan Woodbridge, 


Samuel Howe, 






Elisha Mack, 


Daniel Parish, 






Chancey B. Rising. 




PASTOKS. 




ev. Jonathan Huntington 






Rev. Henry Adams, 


Josiah Spaulding, 






John H. Bisbee. 




Jonathan Law. Pomeroy, 







58 



SECULAR HISTORY. 



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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 

OF WORTHINGTON, 

From the First Settlement of the Town to July 1, 

1853. 

BY THE REV. J. H. BISBEE. 



The first settlers of Worthmgton had been reared 
under the influence of the gospel. Like most 'New 
Englanders, they had been trained to "fear God and 
keep his commandments," and sacredly to regard Di- 
vine institutions and ordinances. To these they were 
strongly attached, not oidy from principle, but by the 
force of education also. When they sought their home 
in the mountain wilderness, they took their religion 
with them, and not only made early and ample pro- 
vision for the support of public worship, l)ut as soon as 
practicable adopted measures for the full enjoyment of 
all gospel oi'dinances. Like wise christian men, they 
correctly judged that both their temporal and eternal 
well-being demanded the institutions of religion, and 
that if they would lay a broad and firm foundation for 
the prosperity and true elevation of themselves and 



60 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOEY OF THE 

their posterity to tlie latest generation, tliey mnst do it 
in Christianity. Though poor in the things of this 
world, they could not afford to live without the privi- 
leges of the gospel, by means of which they might 
become rich in faith. As soon, therefore, as a sufficient 
number of professors of religion had become perma- 
nently established in the place to warrant it, measures 
were taken to gather them into one body, or branch of 
the visible church of Christ. A church was organized 
April 1st, A. D. 1771, composed of the following indi- 
viduals, viz : 

Thomas Kinne, Grace Buck, 

Ebenezer Leonard, Sarah Pettengil, 

Nathaniel Daniels, Sibil Holton, 

Thomas Clemans, Meribah Converse, 

Ephraim Wheeler, Sarah Huntington, 

Jonathan Huntington, Biggelow, 

Hannah Kinne, Eunice Morse, 

Lydia Marsh, Joseph Marsh, 

Nathan Leonard, Israel Holton, 

Benjamin Biggelow, David Jewit, 

Moses Soul, James Bemiss, 

Samuel Convers, Elizabeth Bemiss, 

Edmund Pettengil, Ellenor Soul, 

Priscilla Benjamin, Dorothy Daniels, 

Anna Williams, Abigail Mehurin. 

These individuals, " solemnly, and in the presence of 
the heart-searching God," entered into covenant with 
each other, and unanimously, and with " hearty consent," 
adopted a " confession of faith," which is still retained 
by the church, until the present day, unaltered. In 
this confession of faith, they declared their belief in the 
sacred scriptures as the word of God, and adopted these 
as their only unening rule of faith and practice. 



TOWN OF WOETHINGTON. 01 

Their views of the particular doctrines of the bil)le, 
may be clearly understood by the following declaration : 
" In general we declare our approbation of the West- 
minster Confession of Faith and Catechism, as for the 
substance of it, agreeable to our belief in the doctrines 
of Christianity." And though they specified several of 
the leading doctrines of the gospel, and adopted some 
few and simple rules, by which to regulate their pro- 
ceedings, they, at the same time, discarded all ser\nle 
bondage to any human formula or discipline. In their 
own language, " We agree that the word of God is a 
sufficient rule as well for the practice and discipline of 
the church, as the doctrine of faith, and that human 
compositions on the subject of church discipline are to 
be used only as helps and means, for the better under- 
standing of God's word." And without casting any 
reflections upon other denominations of christians, or 
forms of church government and modes of discipline, 
or setting up any claim of special di\dne right in favor 
of their own views, they very modestly said, " In gene- 
ral, it is our opinion that what is called the Congrega- 
tional form of church government and discipline, is in 
the main a^eeable to the word of God." This form 
they adopted. It was manifestly their aim to build a 
church, "upon the foundation of the apostles and the 
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner- 
stone." 

Having organized a church, they immediately sought 
a pastor to labor among them, and be over them in the 
Lord. They correctly judged that their spiritual inter- 
ests would be best promoted by a settled permanent 
ministry. Their first pastor was Rev. Jonathan Hun- 
tington, who was ordained to the work of the ministry 



62 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOET OF THE 

and settled over them, June 26, A. D. 1 771. He was a 
native of Windham, Connecticut, and belonged to one 
of the most distinguished families in that state. The 
names of his father and brothers stand high in the 
records of the past. How or where Mr. Huntington 
was educated, does not now appear. It is known, how- 
ever, that he first entered the medical profession, in 
which he evidently became somewhat eminent. For 
what particular reason he changed his profession is not 
now apparent. From what may now be learned re- 
specting him, it is very evident that he was by nature 
peculiarly mild and amiable, and by grace, a man of 
deep-toned piety, and irreproachable christian character. 
As might naturally be expected of such a man, he won 
the confidence and secured the esteem and affection of 
the church and people. He was removed by death, 
March 11, A. D. 1781, at the age of 48 years. As he 
lived beloved by all who knew him, so, when he died, 
and devout men carried him to his burial, great lamen- 
tation was made over him. 

Under the ministry of Mr. Huntington, the church 
was generally prosperous. The additions, however, for 
the first nine years were few, and those mostly by letter. 
In 1780, the last year of his life, fifty-three were re- 
ceived into the church. And though no record is left 
of any special awakening, or general out-pom'ing of the 
spirit, yet the increase of professors plainly shows that 
such a season was enjoyed. 

After the death of Mr. Huntington, the church 
remained several successive years without a pastor. 
Different individuals were employed to preach, some of 
whom were invited to settle, but declined the iuAata- 
tion. Under this course of procedure the church did 



TOWN OF WORTHESTGTON". 63 

not prosper, and religion evidently very much declined, 
as is frequently, if not usually tlie case where an unset- 
tled and fluctuating ministry is employed. 

The second pastor of the church was Rev. Josiah 
Spalding. He was a native of Plainfield, Connecticut, 
and was educated at Yale College. He had been pre- 
viously settled at Uxbridge, Mass-. Being dismissed 
from his charge there, he came to Worthington, where 
he was duly installed, August 21, A. D. 1788. He 
remained but a sliort time. Many became dissatisfied 
with him, in consequence of which he was dismissed in 
1794. He was subsequently settled in Buckland, Frank- 
lin county, where he remained until the time of liis 
death. 

He was, e\idently, somewhat eccentric, though a man 
of full ordinary powers of mind. He published a valu- 
able, and somewhat popular octavo volume, entitled, 
" Universalism confounds and destroys itself" Some of 
his sermons also appeared in print. There was, evi- 
dently, great excitement respecting his dismission. Se- 
veral meetings of the church were held before any 
definite action was taken. At length a committee was 
appointed, and charges were preferred against the 
minister. The most important of these may be sum- 
marily ex]3ressed as follows, viz : A change of religious 
doctrine; immorality in practice, and delinquency in 
duty. Either of these three charges, if sustained, 
would, according to Congregational principles and 
usages, have worked a forfeiture of his ministerial 
standing. 

The charge of neglect, related to visiting the sick, 
and the people in general ; that of immorality, was 
falsehood and fraud; but in what particular doctrine 



64 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOEY OF THE 

he was tliouglit to have changed, does not appear from 
the record. An ecclesiastical council was at length 
called to investigate these charges, and give advice. 
The result was that not one of them was sustained. 
The council endorsed both his sentiments and his char- 
acter, and bore honorable testimony in favor of his 
piety. They recommended him, as an example of meek- 
ness, fidelity and charity. Their language, further, is : 
" We find no fault in Mr. Spalding which should operate 
as a reason for the dissolution of his pastoral relation ; 
nevertheless, there is such a large number of the church 
and town so dissatisfied with him as their minister, that 
it is not for the interest of religion for him to continue 
here." 

Though several were received to the church, under 
the ministry of Mr. Spalding, still the number was 
small. No general religious interest appears to have 
been awakened, and no special season of revival enjoyed. 

The third pastor of the chm'ch was Rev. Jonathan 
S. Pomeroy. He was born in the parish of Greenfield, 
in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut. His father wtis a 
clergyman and pastor of the church in that place, where 
he died in the meridian of life. Mr. Pomeroy was thus 
early in life left without a father ; and for some reason, 
his mother, who had charge of his education, did not 
send him to college. He received both his classical and 
theological education under the instruction of Rev. 
Timothy Dwight, D. D., who was subsequently President 
of Yale College. Dr. Dwight was, at that time, pastor 
of the church, and preceptor of an academy at Green- 
field. But, though without the advantages of a college, 
Mr. Pomeroy was still a ripe scholar, particularly in the 
languages. He read Latin and Greek fluently, and was 



TOWN OF WOKTIIINGTON. 65 

almost as familiar witli the French as with his mother 
tonsrue. The deerree of Master of Arts was conferred on 
him by Yale College. He was ordained, and settled over 
the church in Worthington, November 26, A. D. 1794, 
where he remained until 1832, a period of thirty-eight 
years. And though at the time of his settlement, a por- 
tion of the people were not satisfied with him, and even 
laid before the ordaining council a formal protest against 
their procedure, still the length of his pastorate conclu- 
sively shows that he must have soon secured, and re- 
tained, the confidence of the people generally. In 1832, 
he was, at his own urgent request, honorably dismissed. 
He soon after removed to Feeding Hills, a parish in 
West Springfield, where he lived mostly in retirement 
until his death, which occurred June 4, 1836. His age 
was sixty-seven years. He possessed a valuable pro- 
perty, most of which he bequeathed to benevolent 
societies. He published a volume of practical sermons, 
several of which were preached on special occasions. 
Some other writings of his may also be found in print. 
He was a man of more than ordinary powers of mind. 
His perception was quick, his penetration keen, and his 
memory was uncommonly retentive. The man who met 
him in intellectual contest, usually found him with his 
armor on, and ready for use. On account of some bodily 
infirmities, real or imaginary, his habits of study, during 
some of the last years of his life, were not rigid ; his 
preaching was mainly extempore, and often rather de- 
sultory. From his personal appearance, the stranger 
would think him cold, distant and austere. But they 
who knew him best, and most frequently partook of his 
liberal hospitality, found him social, affable, and exceed- 
ingly warm-hearted. In rehgious sentiment, he was 

9 



66 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF THE 

strictly evangelical, and dealt with error and errorists 
with great plainness, and sometimes with peculiar 
severity. He regarded himself as " set for the defence of 
the gospel," and would make no compromise with what 
he regarded as error, or with those who preached it. 
He possessed an uncommon share of moral courage and 
firmness. He was not often, if ever, known to shrink 
from what he honestly believed his duty. 

Under the ministry of Mr. Pomeroy, the church was 
generally prosperous, and religion flourishing. Revivals 
were frequent, and some of them extensive and power- 
ful. Some of these demand more than a passing notice. 
In 1798, a work of special grace commenced, which con- 
tinued until the following year. As the fruit of this re- 
freshing, fifty-four were admitted to the church ; some 
of whom still remain, though nearly all have long since 
" fallen asleep." 

Another season of refreshing was enjoyed in 1808. 
God appears to have shaken the whole place at that 
time, and sifted the people. The power of the Holy 
Ghost seems to have been almost as signally displayed as 
on the memorable day of Penticost. The following is an 
extract from an entry, made in the church records, at 
the time, by Mr. Pomeroy : " Be it forever remembered 
to the glory of all conquering grace, that after a long, 
dark and stupid time, thirty six persons having before 
made a public relation of their religious experience in 
the meeting house, united with this church on the fii'st 
day of May 1808." These were, however, but the first 
fruits of that revival. During that year, one hundred 
and thirteen were received to the church. 

In 1819 was another season of special mercy. In the 
language of Mr. Pomeroy : " A glorious season t)f the 



TOWN OF WOETHINGTON. 67 

grace of God began here about the time of the State 
Fast." That work was also very generaL All parts of 
the town, if not all families, shared in it. One hundred 
indi\dduals were admitted to the church during that 
year. 

The church was blessed with another revival in the 
year 1827. This was neither so powerful nor so general 
as some of the preceding. Thirty-two were admitted to 
the church as the fruit of it. 

Besides these remarkable seasons of general religious 
interest, there were many others, the same in kind, 
though less in extent and power. Additions were made 
to the church nearly or quite every year. Probably 
one-fourth or one-third of all received into communion, 
were gathered in when there was no general awakening. 
This would indicate a healthy state of morals and reli- 
gion generally. 

The preceding statement of facts is sufficient, and 
even more than sufficient, to correct one of the gross 
misrepresentations which has been made, and extensively 
circulated, in relation to Mr. Pomeroy. It has been 
said, and extensively published, and is believed by 
many, especially in some of the neighboring towns, to 
this day, that he was opposed to revivals of religion, 
and that few, if any, were enjoyed under his ministry. 

The records of the past set this matter in its true 
light. They show, to a demonstration, that the church, 
during his pastorate, was peculiarly blessed mth such 
seasons, probably ftir beyond that of any other church 
in the vicmity. And the entries, which he made upon 
the records at different times, clearly show tliat his 
whole heart was engaged in the work of promoting 
them. 



68 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOKY OF THE 

It is tnie that, in tlie latter part of Ms ministry, lie 
did oppose the introduction of certain novelties, techni- 
cally called " New Measures," for the promotion of re- 
vivals of religion. He regarded them as innovations, 
and pernicious in their effects. In this opinion he was 
not alone. 

Probably a majority of the pastors of Congregational 
churches in Massachusetts, agreed with him then, and 
no doubt a still greater number would now, after hav- 
ing seen the results so clearly manifested. 

The fourth pastor of the church was Rev. Henry 
Adams. He was settled December 25, 1833, and was 
dismissed in 1838, on account of the loss of his health. 
As he is still living, it is unnecessary to speak minutely 
of him. Suffice it to say, that he is a native of Worth- 
ington. He received his classical education at Amherst 
College, and his theological at Andover Seminary. Since 
his removal from Worthington, he has regained his 
health, and resumed the labors of the ministry. He has 
been settled in Bolton and Berlin, in Worcester county. 
During his pastorate, the church was in a state of gen- 
eral health and prosperity. Additions were made to 
it yearly. In 1837, more than usual religious interest 
was manifested. The spirit descended like the gently 
refreshing dew, as the fruit of which, nineteen were 
received to the church by profession. 

Rev. John H. Bisbee, the present pastor of the 
church, was settled in December, 1838. He was born 
in the town of Chesterfield ; but his })arents being mem- 
bers of the church in Worthington, he was baptized by 
Rev. Mr. Pomeroy, and brought up under his ministry. 
He was graduated at Union College, and received his 
theological education in part at Auburn, New- York, and 



TOWN OF WOETnnSTGTON. 69 

the remainder under the instruction of Rev. Mr. Chapin, 
then pastor of the church in Westhampton. 

Mr. Bisbee was first settled in the adjoining town of 
Middlefield, where he labored in the ministry five years. 
Since his settlement in Worthington, the church has 
generally been in a prosperous condition. Additions 
have been made to it, by profession, every year except 
one. Special seasons of grace have also been enjoyed. 
In the fall of 1842, a re\^val of religion commenced, 
which continued through the following winter and 
spring; as the result of which, forty-eight were re-, 
ceived into the church, by profession. Another similar 
season l^egan about the commencement of 1850, which 
continued nearly through the whole year. The spirit 
came not as the mighty rushing wind, but as the still 
small voice, speaking in whispers to the soul. As the 
fruit of this revival, forty-nine were received into the 
church. Besides those gathered in times of general 
awakening, others, though in smaller numbers, have 
been added at other seasons. Under the ministry of 
the present pastor, including some few received by 
letter, more than two hundred have been admitted to 
the church. The whole number received since its or- 
ganization, is not far from nine hundred. And yet, 
notwithstanding these numerous accessions, so frequent 
have been the removals by death and dismission, that 
only two hundred and twenty-six membei's remain at 
the present time, (July 1st, 1853.) 



To ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF THE 

The following persons have held the office of deacon 
in this church, viz : 

Joseph Marsh, Nathan Leonard, 

Joshua Phillips, Jonathan Brewster, 

Rufus Marsh, Ezra Leonard, 

Ebenezer Niles, Asahel Prentice, 

Charles Starkweather, Azariah Parsons, 

Daniel Pierce, Asa Marble, 

Normand Allen, Lyman White, 
Schuyler R. Wilbur. 

Of the five pastors of this church, only two now sur- 
vive; and of the fifteen deacons, only four. It may 
reasonably be supposed that an equally large proportion 
of the private members of the church have "fallen 
asleep," as of its officers. Thus " one generation passeth 
away, and another generation cometh." 

There was but one church organization in the town 
of Worthington, and but one congregation of worship- 
pers on the Sabbath, until 1828. During that year, a 
Methodist Episcopal church was formed in the south- 
eastern part of the town. A congregation was gathered, 
composed of indi\H[duals residing in Worthington, Ches- 
terfield, Norwich and Chester. Public worship was es- 
tablished, and a plain, substantial meeting-house erected. 
They were, for several years, supplied with preachers 
from the Conference. More recently they have changed 
their organization and connection. The church is now 
called Wesleyan. They manage thelft* own affiiirs, pro- 
cure and contract with their own ministers. 

Within a few years past, they have abandoned their 
first house of worshi]), as inadequate to their wants, and 
with commendable lil^eralit)^, liave erected a more l^eau- 
tiful, elegant, and commodious one. God has often 



TOWN OP WOETHINGTON. 'Tl 

visited this cliurcli in mercy ; precious seasons of revival 
have been enjoyed ; and it is believed that many souls 
have been gathered into the fold of Christ. 

In 1848, a Methodist Episcopal church was formed in 
the northwestern part of the town, and soon after a plain, 
comfortable house of worship was erected. This church 
is connected with the Troy Conference, from which it is 
supported with preachers. Some seasons of special 
religious interest have also been enjoyed there. Tlie 
congregation is gathered mainly from Wortliington and 
Peru. 

The history of the past, though extending to a single 
town or church only, as well as that which embraces 
nations and empires, illustrates the pro\'idence and 
grace of God. He who reads it, and does not see the 
Divine hand in the persons who have been raised up, in 
the events that have taken place, and the scenes which 
have been exhibited, must be blind to some of its most 
prominent and expressive features ; and must hence lose 
more than half the benefit, if not an equal share of the 
pleasure, of its perusal. Emphatically is it true that 
" God is in history." In the brief narrative which has 
now been given, He is too manifest to be unseen, and 
the impress of His hand is too legibly inscribed on the 
record to be erased. May the reader here see and 
acknowledge God, and learn lessons of heavenly wisdom 
from the past. As he stands among the graves, and 
treads upon the dust of his ancestors, may he be invited, 
by the record of their actions and character, to emulate 
their virtues, and to perform similar deeds of patriotism, 
philanthropy, benevolence and religion. 

This brief history gives us impressive lessons of instruc- 
tion upon the shortness of human hfe, the uncertainty of 



72 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOEY. 

earthly good, tlie mutability of tlie world, and tlie 
rapidity with wliich its scenes change. Yet, be it remem- 
bered, that the length of life should be measured, rather 
by the amount and character of its deeds, than by the 
number of its years. " That life is long which answers 
life's great end ;" and that life is short, however numer- 
ous its years, which runs to waste. A short flight with 
the eagle among the stars, is more valuable than a long 
race with the reptile in the dust. Happy he, who, while 
passing through the changing scenes of earth, becomes, 
by the power of divine grace, thoroughly prepared for 
his own last great change, and fitted to awaken from the 
slumbers of the grave in the likeness of God. 



ERRATA. 

Page 10, nintli line from bottom, read " David" instead of Daniel Brunson. 

" 11, sixth -line from bottom, read "William H." instead of Henry Bates. 
And read " Ilickbey," instead of Hickey. 



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